US6264650B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods for electrosurgical treatment of intervertebral discs
Assignee: Arthrocare Corp
•
Filing: 1999-05-21
•
Granted: 2001-07-24
•
Expires: 2019-05-21
Abstract
Abstract Systems, apparatus and methods for ablation, resection, aspiration, collagen shrinkage and/or hemostasis of tissue and other body structures in open and endoscopic spine surgery. In particular, the present invention includes a channeling technique in which small holes or channels are formed within spinal discs, and thermal energy is applied to the tissue surface immediately surrounding these holes or channels to cause thermal damage to the tissue surface, thereby stiffening the surrounding tissue structure and for reducing the volume of the disc to relieve pressure on the surrounding nerves. High frequency voltage is applied between one or more active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s) to volumetrically remove or ablate at least a portion of the disc tissue, and the active electrode(s) are advanced through the space left by the ablated tissue to form a channel, hole, divot or other space in the disc tissue. In addition, the high frequency voltage effects a controlled depth of thermal heating of the tissue surrounding the hole to thermally damage or create a lesion within the tissue surrounding the hole to debulk and/or stiffen the disc structure, thereby relieving neck or back pain.
Inventors
- 👤 David C. Hovda
- 👤 Maria B. Ellsberry
- 👤 Hira V. Thapliyal
- 👤 Philip E. Eggers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/148; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1485; A61B18/149; A61B18/1492; A61B18/042; A61B18/1206; A61B18/1477; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00026; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00101; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B2017/00261; A61B2017/00274; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00029; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00119; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/00172; A61B2018/00178; A61B2018/00273; A61B2018/00291; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00321; A61B2018/00327; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B2018/00434; A61B2018/0044; A61B2018/00505; A61B2018/00547; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00583; A61B2018/00589; A61B2018/00607; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00702; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00827; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00982; A61B2018/1213; A61B2018/124; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1273; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1425; A61B2018/1467; A61B2018/1472; A61B18/16; A61B2018/162; A61B2018/165; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/002; A61B2218/007; A61B90/00; A61B90/10; A61B90/11; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for treating intervertebral discs: positioning an active electrode adjacent to, or within, a disc; applying high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, the high frequency voltage being sufficient to ablate the disc tissue; during the applying step, advancing the active electrode into the disc tissue to generate a space within the disc tissue; and removing the active electrode from the space within the disc tissue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for treating intervertebral discs: positioning an active electrode adjacent to, or within, a disc; applying high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, the high frequency voltage being sufficient to ablate the disc tissue; during the applying step, advancing the active electrode into the disc tissue to generate a space within the disc tissue; and removing the active electrode from the space within the disc tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising, during the removing step, applying high frequency voltage between the active and return electrodes, the high frequency voltage being sufficient to coagulate blood at the tissue surface surrounding the space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the high frequency voltage during the applying step is sufficient to thermally damage the surface of the disc tissue surrounding the space.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an electrically conductive fluid around the active electrode and between the active and return electrodes prior to the applying step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the providing step comprises positioning the active and return electrodes within a supply of electrically conductive fluid and then positioning the active and return electrodes adjacent to the disc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the providing step comprises delivering the electrically conductive fluid to the active and return electrodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the electrically conductive fluid is a liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising generating a current flow path between the active and return electrodes with the electrically conductive fluid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising aspirating fluid from a region around the active electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a sufficient high frequency voltage difference between the active and return electrodes to effect molecular dissociation of at least a portion of the disc tissue during the advancing step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the applying step includes generating a voltage gradient between the active and return electrodes, the voltage gradient being sufficient to create an electric field that breaks down the tissue through molecular dissociation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising applying sufficient voltage to the active electrode in the presence of an electrically conductive fluid to vaporize at least a portion of the fluid between the active electrode and the disc tissue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising accelerating charged particles from the vaporized fluid to the disc tissue to cause dissociation of the molecular bonds within the disc tissue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising axially translating the active electrode to form a hole through at least a portion of the disc tissue.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising transversely translating the active electrode relative to the disc tissue to form a channel along a surface of the disc.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the space has a maximum lateral dimension less than about 2 mm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the space has a maximum lateral dimension less than about 1 mm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning step comprises positioning a distal portion of a shaft of an electrosurgical instrument within the disc, wherein the active and return electrodes are both located on the distal portion of the shaft.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising introducing at least the distal end portion of the shaft through a percutaneous penetration in the patient to the disc.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the active electrode is positioned adjacent a target portion of the disc, the method further comprising locating the return electrode on the shaft such that, during the applying step, electric current flows from the active electrode away from the target portion of the disc to the return electrode, wherein the return electrode is axially spaced at least about 1.0 mm from the active electrode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising, after the applying step, deactivating the active electrode and applying a high frequency voltage difference between a second active electrode and one or more return electrodes on the instrument shaft.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the instrument shaft comprises a second return electrode spaced proximally from the second active electrode, the method comprising, after the applying step, applying a high frequency voltage difference between the second active electrode and the first and second return electrodes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising, after the applying step, deactivating the active electrode and applying a high frequency voltage difference between the return electrode on the instrument shaft and a dispersive return electrode coupled to an external surface of the patient.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning the active and return electrodes within a nucleus of the disc and during the applying step, passing electric current between the active and return electrodes through naturally occuring conductive fluid within the nucleus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2050904A
Cited
US4033351A
Cited
US4043342A
Cited
US4116198A
Cited
US4184492A
Cited
US4040426A
Cited
US4202337A
Cited
US4228800A
Cited
US4326529A
Cited
US4248231A
Cited
US4232676A
Cited
US4532924A
Cited
US4476862A
Cited
US4674499A
Cited
US4381007A
Cited
US4548207A
Cited
US4593691A
Cited
US4567890A
Cited
US4682596A
Cited
US4706667A
Cited
US5334183A
Cited
US5057106A
Cited
US4765331A
Cited
US4823791A
Cited
US4943290A
Cited
US4936301A
Cited
US4931047A
Cited
US4860752A
Cited
US5108391A
Cited
US5178620A
Cited
US4998933A
Cited
US5249585A
Cited
US4967765A
Cited
US5112330A
Cited
US5454809A
Cited
US4979948A
Cited
US5078717A
Cited
US4976711A
Cited
US5125928A
Cited
US5098431A
Cited
US5009656A
Cited
US5057105A
Cited
US5007908A
Cited
US5201729A
Cited
US5035696A
Cited
US5217457A
Cited
US5080660A
Cited
US5324254A
Cited
US5334140A
Cited
US5380277A
Cited
US5083565A
Cited
US5122138A
Cited
US5267997A
Cited
US5195959A
Cited
US5190517A
Cited
US5330470A
Cited
US5383917A
Cited
US5749869A
Cited
US5697281A
Cited
US5273524A
Cited
US5662680A
Cited
US5395312A
Cited
US5192280A
Cited
US5197963A
Cited
US5366443A
Cited
US5683366A
Cited
US5871469A
Cited
US5810764A
Cited
US5888198A
Cited
US5681282A
Cited
US5697909A
Cited
US5697882A
Cited
US5419767A
Cited
US5697536A
Cited
US5267994A
Cited
US5281216A
Cited
US5277201A
Cited
US5281218A
Cited
US5290282A
Cited
US5370675A
Cited
US5300069A
Cited
US5312400A
Cited
US5336220A
Cited
US5314406A
Cited
US5584872A
Cited
US5676693A
Cited
US5383876A
Cited
US5342357A
Cited
US5658278A
Cited
US5403311A
Cited
US5417687A
Cited
US5766153A
Cited
US5891095A
Cited
US5441499A
Cited
US5807395A
Cited
US5433739A
Cited
US5569242A
Cited
US5458596A
Cited
US5817049A
Cited
US5843021A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-07-23 | 2005-01-22 | 2005-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-23 | 2009-01-22 | 2009-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-23 | 2013-01-22 | 2013-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |